Shuttle position detector mechanism



Feb. 14, 1950 J. M. TUTEN SHUTTLE POSITION DETECTOR MECHANISM AGENT INVENTOR.

JAMESMYUTEN Filed Dec. 11, 1947 Patented Feb. 14, 1950 SHUTTLE POSITION DETECTOR MECHANISM James M. Tuten, Greenville, S. (3., assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass, a corporation of Maine Application December 11, 1947, Serial No. 791,117

Claims.

The present invention pertains to weaving I looms, and more particularly to shuttle position detecting mechanisms for looms.

In looms of the type. wherein a shuttle is employed to lay a weft in the shed of the warp and in whichthe shuttle is received in a shuttle box :at-each" side'of the loom, there is commonly provided mechanism for detecting timely arrival of the shuttle in a shuttle box and for arresting" completion of the beating-upmovement of the lay if the shuttle fails to move out of the shed and into the box during the periodallowed for that action. If the lay is permitted to complete its forward motion with a shuttle within the shed, a shuttle smash occurs as the shuttle is forced into the fell of the cloth, and breakage of a large number of warp yarns is almost certain to result. Hence the necessity of detecting timely arrival of the shuttle in a shuttle box and arrestment of the lay if the shuttle fails to move out of the shed in due time.

Extensive experience over a long period of time has resulted in loom designers almost universally employing for the above mentioned shuttle detecting and lay arresting functions a structure comprising a protector rod extending along the lay and rockably supported in bearings thereon and stressed by spring means in one direction of movement, the rod having at each end a shuttle detecting finger and a dagger, the daggers being engageable with lay-arresting frogs during forward motion of the lay but being normally raised out of frog-engaging position by rocking of the rod by either detecting finger incident to arrival of the shuttle in the respective shuttle box.

Recent trends in loomdesign have been toward increasing the operating rate of the loom, with a view toward increasing the l'oom output. Many nexpected difficulties arise, however, when 3.106111 is operated at only a small percentage of normal speed above that speed. One of the difiiculties encountered is excessive vibration, which is accompanied by greatly accelerated wearing of all relatively moving contacting surfaces, such as bearings. Another difllculty that arises, and one which the present invention aims to obviate, is that generally known as single protection, which may be defined as arrestment of the lay at only one side of the loom due to engagement of only one of the daggers with its frog. This occurs due tofailue of the'daggers to operate substantially coincidentally withrespect to time and extent of movement. Single protection results in an exceptionally severe stressing of the lay structure since one side .of the structure is arrested and the other side continues forward movement in relatively unimpeded fashion. As this movement occurs the lay structure is twisted, with breakage and permanent deformation of parts quite common. i

It is thought that the above mentioned failure of the daggers to operate, in substantial coincidence at high loom speedsis at'least partly. due to the tendency of the protector rod to act as a torsion spring when torque is rapidly applied to it at one end, resulting-in a lagging behind of the finger and dagger at the opposite end and the creation of complex'oscillations in the rod. Investigation of the action oi the protector rod with its fingers and daggers with theloom operating at speeds in excess of normal, i. e., in excess of about 200 picks per minute, has shown that as a shuttle enters a shuttle box, the shuttle detecting'finger associated with that box is moved with extreme suddenness from detecting position to indicating, position. The finger in so moving rotates the protector rod at that end of the lay and moves-the adjacent dagger out of frog-engaging position with equal rapidity. The function ofthe rod is to move the daggerat the opposite side of the loom out of frog-engaging position, and to insure proper returnof the 'twodaggers to frogengaging position assoon as the shuttle is propelled out of the box. Due to the rapidity with which theactive finger and its dagger are moved, and to the fact that the parts have inertia, and probably partly due-to the complex action of the lay movements onthe protector mechanism parts, it is found that the other ling-er and associated dagger do not move substantially coincidentally with the active finger and its dagger in regard to time and-extent of. movement, the protector rod acting like a torsion spring causing overthrow and oscillation of the entire protector mechanism and allowing lagging action of the other dagger so that the daggers do not partake ofcoincidental movement. 7 Thus it happens that one of the daggers may on occasion'fail to'be returned to. frog-engaging position quickly enough to en gage its frog when loom stopping is called for by a shuttle detecting finger. When this happens, single protection occurs, with its attendant damage to the loom.

Y Much effort has been directed toward eliminating the protection difficulties above outlined, but.

insofar as I am aware the trouble had not been successfully resolved prior to advent of my present invention. It has been proposed that the protector rod be increased in-size to provide a more rigid protector mechanism, but when that proposition was tried it was found that the fingers had to be made larger and stronger and the spring or springs had to be much heavier and stronger, all of which greatly increased the weight parts oscillated with the lay and caused excessive binding forces to be applied to the shuttle, resulting in greater vibration and excessively high attrition of t e wearing parts and damage to the shuttle.

With the above mentioned and other unsatisfactory features of prior shuttle position detector mechanisms in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism of the class mentioned which is at least as light as the conventional mechanism it replaces and which allows substantially coincidental operation of the daggers with respect to time and extent of rotation to be obtained even at exceptionally high loom operating speeds. Another object is to provide a simplified and lighter shuttle position detector mechanism for a loom. Another object is to improve high speed fly-shuttle looms generaliy. A more specific object is to provide a loom shuttle position detector mechanism comprising biased 'protector elements each including a dagger, the

elements being rigidly interconnected for sub stantially identical rotation with respect to time and extent of rotation by means including a tube whereby coincidental operation of the daggers is insured.

The above and other objects that will become apparent from thorough consideration of this disclosure are attained by my invention, a preferred embodiment of which is described in the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front view of a portion of a conventional loom lay but incorporating a shuttle position detector mechanism of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of structure depicted at the right of Fig. 1, with portions removed in the interest of clarity of illustration;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and in the direction indicated;

Fig. 4 is a front View of a modified form of structure according to the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along 5-5 of Fig. 4 and in the direction there indicated.

Referring to the drawings wherein only as much of conventional loom structure is depicted as is necessary to a complete understanding of the invention, there is shown a lay beam I3 supported near its opposed ends by lay swords i l2 and having a hand rail l3 and reed l6 arranged thereon in suitable conventional fashion. At its ends the lay beam supports opposed shuttle boxes l5, 86, from either of which to the other a shuttle i1 is adapted to be propelled or picked by means of picker structures including picker sticks l8, l9. The structure thus far enumerated. is conventional, and may be of any suitable construction. In attaining the objects of the invention, I provide at each lay sword and rigidly secured thereto as by bolt means as shown, respective bearings 29, 2|. Rockably supported in each or these bearings is a respective protector element 22, 23, each of which comprises a dagger, a shuttle detecting finger, and a rod end, as will be more fully explained hereinafter. Extending be tween the protector elements and inter-connecting them for unitary substantially identical rotative motion is a tube 24, preferably of a light weight material of suitable strength such as aluminum alloy, and of suflicient diameter and wall thickness to perform the functions hereinafter more fully explained.

In view of the fact that the protector elements at opposite ends of tube 24 are similar but of opposite hand and act in the same manner, and since the means employed to connect the tube to the protector elements are the same at each end of the tube, further description of the structure will in the interest of brevity be limited insofar as is practicable to that depicted at the right side of Fig. 1. Referring to the latter figure and to Figs. 2 and 3, protector element 23 comprises a forwardly extending (toward the observer in Figs. 1 and 2) dagger 23a, a rearwardly and upwardly extending finger 23b which may be an integral portion of the element or formed in two sections as shown, and a rod end 230 extending longitudinally of the lay beam and received in and rotatively supported by bearing 2|. Rod end 230 is made of sufiicient length to extend beyond bearing 2! as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, and is there snugly received or encased in one end of the aforementioned tube 24. Preferably the rod end is formed to provide a very close fit in tube 24. To insure tight engagement of the rod end and tube 24 so the two parts will rotate in unison without slippage therebetween, the tube has applied therearound a sleeve 25 of steel or the like as shown, the sleeve preferably being applied by shrink fitting on the tube. After the sleeve has been applied to the tube, holes 26, 21 are drilled through the sleeve and tube as a unit, and the holes are tapped to receive set screws 28, 29, respectively. With the set screws in place and rod end 230 within the end of tube 24 as illustrated, tightening of the screws effects a tight interengagement of the tube and rod end to prevent slippage therebetween. The purpose of the sleeve is to provide a strong element capable of withstanding the stresses applied by the set screws, which would normally strip threads from the relatively thin tube 24. Additionally, the sleeve provides a strong casing for the tube end which it surrounds, which is of value in preventing tube deformation especially in those constructions wherein tube 24 is of relatively soft material such as aluminum alloy.

At the left hand end of the lay tube 24 is secured to protector element 22 by a second unit like sleeve 25 and set screws 28, 29, the structures being identical except that element 22 is of hand opposite to that of element 23. Thus it is evident that the two protector elements are interconnected to rock or rotate in bearings 20, 2| in unison, and that by suitably proportioning tube 24 the two daggers may be made to rotate substantially identically in regard to time and extent of rotation without increase of weight over that of the usual mechanism. The described mechanism is stressed to rotate in a direction to tend to move and maintain the daggers out of frog-engaging position, that is, to tend to move the shuttle position detecting fingers toward active shuttle detecting position, by spring means. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated the spring means consists of two compression springs SE3, 3! arranged between suitable depressions formed in the daggers of respective protector elements 22, 23, and abutments provided thereabove as parts of the shuttle boxes, as shown. It will be understood that other spring arrangements may be employed, that shown merely being one that has successfully been used. End play of the protector mechanism is prevented by cutting the tube of a length to fit closely between the barrage 2a; 2'1, although it .is evident-that the tube. may be-cutshorter: and

round the endsofthe tubeand' cause tight interengagement of the tube and rod ends. Referring to those figures, wherein only structure at one end of the tube is depicted, the end of the tube, 24 is slotted as by saw cuts 32a, 32b, 32c and 32d for ashort distance, the slots-preferably being terminated by drilled holes as indicated to avoid spreading of the out. The rod end, as that of protector element 22, is substantially encased in and fitted within and preferably shortly beyond the slitted portion of the tube, and that portion of the tube substantially surrounded by a clamp 33 having a portion of generally cylindrical inner configuration to fit the tube and a pair of opposed bored wings carrying a bolt 34 and associated nut and washer whereby the clamp may be tightened on the tube and the latter forced into tight engagement with the rod end in an obvious manner. The rod end and the inner surface of the end of the tube may be roughened to enhance the grip of one with the other, if desired. In other respects this modified form of protector rod mechanism is like the previously described preferred form.

Due to employment of a tube member to interconnect the protector elements I not only eliminate the troublesome disadvantages of prior art protector rod mechanisms under high speed operation, but I am also enabled to eliminate the usual center bearing for the rod which has heretofore been considered essential in looms operat ing at high speeds. The tube does not possess the tendency to whip and distort itself which is characteristic of the previously used rods. Thus due to elimination of previousl necessary parts and employment of a tube in place of a rod I am enabled to reduce the weight of parts carried by the lay, which is highly desirable in allowing higher loom operating speeds to be attained. Further, due to the ability of the tube to transmit the torque applied by one protector element to the other without substantial torsional deformation, the protector mechanism of my inven-' tion allows extremely high loom speeds to be attained Without danger of occurrence of single protection, the protector elements at opposite ends of the mechanism rocking substantially identically with respect to time and extent of retation and thus insuring substantially coincidental operation of the daggers.

While I have hereinabove mentioned that the tube of my invention may be formed of alumitions thereof will occur to those skilled in the art, and accordingly I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of the disclosed embodiment, but what I claim is:

1. In a loom shuttle position detector mechanism: protector elements each including a dagger, a shuttle position detecting finger and a rod end; bearing members each receiving a portion of' respective rod end and thereby" rotatively supporting the respective element; a tube extending between and interconnecting said rod ends, a short length of the tube'at each end thereof receiving a complementary length of a respective rod end; means at each end of and substantially' surrounding said tube outside said short length and firmly securing said tube to said ends; and spring means biasing said elementstoward detecting position; whereby rapid rotation of" either of said protector elements is accompanied by substantially identical rotation of the other of said elements with respect to timejan d extent of rotation toinsure substantially coincidentai-o eration of said daggers. l

2. A loom shuttle position detector mechanism comprising; in combination: protector elements each including a, dagger, a shuttle position detecting finger, and a rod end; bearing members each receiving a portion of a respective rod end and thereby rotatively supporting the respective element; a tube extending between and interconnecting said rod ends, a short length of the tube at each end thereof receiving therewithin a complementary length of a respective rod end; sleeve members, each surrounding a respective one of said short lengths of tube and tightly embracing the same; means at each of said sleeve members acting to cause tight interengagement of said tube and said rod ends to prevent slippage therebetween; and means including a spring biasing said elements toward detecting position; whereby rapid rotation of either of said elements is accompanied by substantially identical rotation of the other element with respect to time and extent of rotation to insure substantially coincidental operation of said daggers.

3. In a loom having lay swords, a lay on the swords, shuttle boxes on the lay, and a shuttle operating along the lay and receivable in the shuttle boxes, in combination therewith, a lightweight shuttle position detector mechanism comprising: protector elements each including a dagger, a rod end, and a shuttle position detecting finger arranged to indicate presence of the shuttle in a respective shuttle box; bearings, each carried by an individual lay sword and each receiving a respective one of said rod ends for rotation therein and thereby supporting a respective one of said protector elements; an aluminum alloy tube interconnecting said rod ends and at each of its ends snugly receiving therein a short length of a respective one of said rod ends; sleeve members, one at each end of and surrounding said tube and a portion of a respective one of said rod ends and tightly embracing said tube; screw means at each of said sleeve members acting to cause tight interengagement of said tube and said rod ends to prevent slippage therebetween; and means including a spring biasing said elements toward detecting position; whereby rapid rotation of either of said protector elements toward or from detecting position is accompanied by substantially identical rotation of the other protector element with respect to time, extent, and direction of rotation, to insure substantially coincidental operation of said daggers.

4. A loom shuttle position detector mechanism for a loom having a lay, lay swords and shuttle boxes at the lay ends, which comprises protector elements at either end of the lay adjacent the shuttle boxes and including a shuttle position detecting finger and a dagger, a tubular memher extending between and interconnecting the 1 a said protector elements, and bearings adjacent REFERENCES CITED I the protector elements within which that assembly comprising the said elements and interconz g ifi ggig are of record in the meeting tubular member is rotatively supported,

and means for biasing the said shuttle position UNITED STATES PATENTS detector mechanism in a direction such that the Number Name Date fingers are urged toward the shuttle boxes at the 2 000 320 Chapman et aL May 7 1935 lay ends, said means comprising a spring, one at Tarts "July 3 either end of the mechanism, Said springs being u I restrained at one end, and at their opposite ends, 10 I FOREIGN PATENTS being operatively attached to and functioning Number Country t upon a portion of the said protector elements. 403,247 Great it D 21, 1933 5. Mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said springs are under compression and attach at one end to their respective dagger and at their 15 other end are restrained beneath the lay.

JAMES M. TUTEN. 

